Originating approximately 250 million years ago, the Archosauria ("Ruling Reptiles") became one of the most diverse and successful clades of vertebrates on earth. However, many of the amazing creatures that are a part of that diversity are often overshadowed by the poster children of the archosaurs - the dinosaurs. This blog looks at those often forgotten archosaurs, focusing especially on the croc-line, but occasionally looking at the bird-line and even outside of crown-group Archosauria.

The genus Pristichampsus originated in Asia and later spread to the rest of the northern hemisphere. P. hengdongensis (Li, 1984) is known from the Paleocene through Middle Eocene of China and the Middle Eocene of India. P. rollinati (Gray 1831) is known from the Late Paleocene of China, the Early and Middle Eocene of North America, and the Middle and Late Eocene of Europe (Germany, Italy, and France). There are two possibilities in the dispersion of Pristichampsus: either the species spread directly to Europe from Asia, or to Europe through North America from Asia (Kotsakis et al 2004).

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About Me

In 2009, I graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Geology and a citation from the College Park Scholars: Earth, Life, and Time Program. I took some time off, working as a geologist for an aggregate mining company, but that was never the right job for me; I'm a scientist. I am currently working on my M.S. in Zoology at NCSU, studying Triassic archosaurs. I have been a member of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology since 2006 and have done research on paleoclimatology at the Smithsonian Institution. I have spent the last 2 summers at Pertrified Forest National Park, doing field work and research. I am also an artist, a photographer, and a writer. Whenever I get the chance, I travel (I have been to all 48 contiguous united states, 7 foreign countries, 3 volcanic hotspots, and 5 tectonic plates.)